Just for Kids
There's something for everyone to do-including you! No matter where
you live, there are many things you can do around your neighborhood or
at school, such as setting an example by not littering, helping clean up
a spot, and learning about safe ways to handle trash.
You can start by choosing one or more of these ideas. Some are
simple. Others will need the help of a parent, older family member, or
teacher. You can involve your friends and family in all of them.
Always set an example by not littering ,
no matter where you are.
When you put out the trash at home,
make sure that garbage can lids are on tight, and that all of the trash
goes into the can.
If your parents own a car , make
litterbags for them. Keep your yard clean and free of things that can
blow into the street and become litter.
If your school playground doesn't have a
litter basket , have your teacher ask the school to put one out.
Your class can make and put up posters reminding other students to put
litter where it belongs.
Ask a parent or teacher to take you or
your class to a recycling center or sanitary landfill. Many recycling
centers or landfills will let you see how trash is managed. List the
different kinds of items that the recycling center collects, and how
each one is prepared for shipment. At the landfill, list the kinds of
equipment you see, and what each does.
Make a bulletin board that has
pictures of areas that are clean, and those that are spoiled by litter
or trash. Write a story about the difference between the two, and what
can be done to make dirty areas clean again.
Whenever you visit a park or beach ,
carry out what you bring in-keep unwanted items in a bag or backpack
until you can put them in a litter basket.
Ask an older family member or teacher
to find out who keeps your city's parks and public areas clean. Have
your class write letters inviting them to come to the school and speak
about the importance of not littering. Learn more about how you can take
care of your community's public lands by reading Keep America
Beautiful's brochure "Take Care of America."
Have everyone in your class or youth group
write a letter to a different business to ask that they help keep the
city clean by keeping the lids on dumpsters closed.
If your family puts recyclables in a bin
at curbside, tie up loose papers that could blow out.
Draw a map of your neighborhood or school
and identify areas where there is litter. Are they near busy roads,
businesses, or places where people gather?
Make a list of things that could be done to
stop litter . Learn more about litter by reading "Tips for
Preventing Litter in Your Community."
Contact a forest service or conservation
district office and find out if they offer free tree seedlings
to plant in parks or other public areas. Look in the telephone directory
under "Government Agencies."
Ask your teacher if your school can
make a small model of a sanitary landfill. Your class can fill it with
items from home. Predict what will happen to each item before it is
buried. Before the school year ends, dig up the site and see what
actually happened. The model can be made with the help of someone from
the city's public works department or a landfill.
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